Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-30
POOR FATHER!

NV wife," Kate Vannah.
POOR FATHER!
When Lieut.. Henry Robeline learned
that his ship, Francis GARNER, was to be
sent to China, he thought Of his wife and
boy. and this thought suddenly checked
his JOY TO be put in the way Of gaining the
epaulettes Of captain. Even he expert
enced something like remorse for having
wished his ship to be- oneOf those selected
for this far away expedition. and he asked
himself il those instantaneous Dispute
tudes were not what people call . PRESENT.
ment
1t is this, for the last month his child
was unwell, and the doctor had recon-
mended constant care and attentive treat
ment. Marcel was born a little delicate,
sickly, one would say; it seemed rs II he
had inherited the paludean fever, OF which
his father had suffered in Africa on the
banks Of those large and treacherous
rivers, whs re malaria reigns supreme.
| Nine. X Feline expected the news; she
wanted to be courageous.
When do you leave." she asked
simply.
I'm fortnight
She felt her heart ready to burst He
took her on his knees, and with his kisses
he restrained her tears.
Papa, stammered the boy, will you
take Inc with you'''
The sailor had his home outside OF
Toulon, in this corner Of the roadway,
gracious and picturesque as a Neapolitan
hay. He hoped that, in the midst Of palm
and orange trees, his young one would
improve; hut shc child, after recovering a
little, became weak again under the
anxious eyes OF his mother, those woman's
eyes which refuse to notice the painful
traces Of sickness on the loved faces, al
though they see them growing deeper:
equally prompt to hope or despair, and
whose tenderness has tears for joy as well
~ for SORROW
Three days before the Francis GARNER
left her moorings TO make her essays and
regulate her compasses Nine. Robeline
visited her husbands ship. where he was
going TO live, and, who knows, die, per
maps. wounded during batles She had
some terrific visions.
All! poor sailors wives.
She arranged his cabin. made 4 nest of
it, filled it with green plants which would
and the child's smiled above the narrow
bed in frame made with swords and re-
volvers, where. for the future exiled, they
would recall the absent home to his mind
And while she placed all those things,
often alone, her husband being on duty OH
the deck, she cried. One evening, as she
had belated herself, she wrapped Marcel
in shawl, but the gamin threw down the
garment again and again, clapped his
hands, laughed with the sailors, happy
with the breeze and swell. He caught
cold. The next day he could not rise, he
coughed so much.
His father and mother slept no more.
The Francis Carriers departure was
fixed for the next Saturday. They |
counted the hours. Soon the child wus |
at deaths door.
''whl you save him, DOCTOR" besough,
they.
The doctor answered "Yes," but tha, |
did not satisfy them. Marcel was too |
feeble to resist that dreadful cough And |
the parents returned to their child's bed |
murmuring some tender words without |
hearing themselves speak. They looked |
at their moaning child and buried their /
nails in the palms OF their hands.
I'VE leave on saturday."
Bertha uttered a great cry. Saturday |
night ought not to come for her. Satur
day!
But the angel may die that very Satur
day. perhaps. Her boy to die--to die!
DO not so, Henry! For Gods sake
do not goi''
He went out to solicit his transfer tc
smother ship that remained in Toulon
On the threshold Of his door he reflected
hc commanded a Tkan-of-war; he had his
mission and his orders Not to sail now
WAS to desert. Then he re-entered his
home His boy WAS saying:
Papa, will YOU bring me plenty Of
Chinese toys''
Nine RObeline opened the window; she
pointed the ship to her husband.
'.You must 60, Henry! am crazy.
do not know what | am saying. p
The Francis GARNER cast of her moor
ings; her captain was on the bridge
When crossing the entrance Of the road
stead he turned around, searching beyond
the blue gulf, under the palm and orange
trees, his white cottage Of Tamais. where
he had left his life On the balcony q
silhouette appeared, hand waved hand
kerchief, sent a kiss, aud the vision was
Q short one. From the interior Of tho
room q voice had called Mamma" and
the officer did not see the apparition any
more.
He went to his cabin, took a calendar
covered with penciled notches At the
month Of July's column. Each one indi
Gated . putting in, that is to say tele
gram that he would receive from Por.
Said to Hong Kong. In the last kiss he
had said to his wife this phrase, sad anc
ssT will ho for rod than |
No matter what may happen, send me D
message to each port Use the word
Hope If it is better, and Courage if
. ." A sob had shortened what he
wanted to say.
Courage repeated he. Courage!
What irony! Can one have courage when
death takes his child"'
He rose, dsmissinP the terrible idea
The joyful noise Of the war soon eX-
asperated him He ordered some ma
neuvers, invented for himself duties TO
perform, incredible fatigues 10 bear, TO di-
vert him from thinking.
The days would not pass, and the sea
would not end
At last Port Said is reached. Hope,
read the dispatch.
1T is dated from the day before, and
perhaps since -"
Once out OF the Suex canal Robeline gave
orders to the engineer to double the speed.
At Obock he received another message,
'Hope;" but at Colombo, where in his
anxiety he arrived in advance, he found
nothing. Notwithstanding his formal in
structions he remained At the anchorage
for awhile. Finally he had to so. al
ready he had grown old; he ate and slep,
no more. Sometimes he locked himself